New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-25
DONA PAULA'S TREASURE.
AN ADJUSTMENT IN CANCELLATION.

There are few navIgable rivers on the west coast
of Mexico but there are many minor streams, un-
worthy of being called rivers when empty n, Sa
coasting vessels Tor a conslderaDie distance INTO
the interior. In many places the navigation Is ex-
ceedlnply dangerous even tor these coasters,
ON account of shifting sands and the reefs extend
ing into the sea- which frequently run parallel with
the coast for many miles. The fogs which az some
seasons pre- vail and the sudden storms, or tempo
rales prevalent at Others lead the cautions Mexl-
can mariners to shun the more dangerous places. or
at best 10 visit them only occasionally during the
season when 1t Is absolutely safe 10 DO so. -,
The exceedingly pretty little town of San Miguel
is situated upon one Of these rivers, about hat
mile from where 1t emptles INTO the ocean. me
land which Is fiat in the immediate vicinity OF the
river rises at short distance from II III gentle I'M
dulations, with here aud there Knoll shgntiy
OVERCOMING It's ueIghbOrs. Back OF these again II
sti continues to rise, Terminating III sort OF
mesa, tableaDi, running parallel win the river
broken by cross courses The summit of Tins table
land is bare. but the ravincs winch run at right
ANGLES 10 10 are covered with dense growth of
wood while he land between the 1avines and on
the slope Of the mesa bears only scattered growth
of light timber. 49,,
growth of willows but the orchards of orange.
pomegrauate, lemOn, cltron. etc., almost in!rude
upan this wild growth. so rich and fruitful Is the
soil: and the contrast of the rich dark olive green
OF the orchards against the pale yellow OF the
willows is very marked e A.,
river is equally fruitful, bearing grapevines'
melons olives, etc. while fields of cora or sugar,
sometimes the very low places even rice run
down IN among the orchards to the very margin OF
the San Miguel The town of about six or seven
hundred souls sets we'll back from the river, the
man norton of 1t LIVING i'll sort of hollow formed
by the undulaion of the land. bat scattered SO ms
10 partially Climb some OF the knobs WIN mere
and there Il ventureSome house perched even upon
tLe very summit. These houses being OF auOOe or
Mexican brick, large and massive, well plastercd
and carefully finished IN white, or win oilgn'
tint of color faced with white. look very plctu,
rescue nestled in among the orange groves or anna
cluster OF tall. graceful palms. OF SET on Nv ,ne
A fe miles beyond San Miguel the land becomes
rocky and sterile 1t rises gradually IN series OF
benches toward the mountains, so that there Is
nothing but few desOiae ranches between san
Miguel and IodOs Santos, considerable INNING
town, distant nearly thirty Leagues. WIN me e1-
ception of the EmbdrcddefO' small VII age STU
aed up the coast, AT point sale and suitable al All
seasons for the little coastng vessels, San Alsuei
had no nearer neghhOr than Ipdos Santos; but me
trade between these two places Is or was cons,uep
able san Miguel being quite depot OF supplies
and looking to Todos Santos as cohsldera9ie
mJrEet for its produce; while on the other mana
very considerable portion of the SILVER produced
from the mines found its way to san Miguel, some
times payment, but more frequently. rear. pe-
cnuse il afforded certaI1 facilities Tor smuggling III
quiet vay of which the otherwise worthy inhao-
iiants were rot slow to avail themselves.
The dntics are so onerous and unreasonable
in Mexico, that no one thinks u slniui 10
engage in a little contra6and. Even the au-
thorties sometimes wink at it, not lew OF them'
indeed add TO their scanty income bv engaging III
If themselves. Under more reasonable system
tlie revenue of Mexico could be doubled-a system
which would not condemn her poor 10 go hall clad
paid officials to supply their necessities by betray-
ing the trust Teposcd III them
lnt in The main the people OF san Mlguei were an
exceedingly peaccable, primitive retired conmu-
N.Y. poughlng their land with crooked stick, or
turning Il over aln oSt as lmDerfectly with rude,
,hioncd hoe; patiently packing their produce
10 Iodos Santos on mules or bUTOs. or sometimes
sending il down 20 the emo2rcadero III canoes
Tho trees aud vines were old and required but
little care The sugar and rice kept them pretty
busy during the season, hut they took things veiy
quietly at the busiest of times. and as matter OF
be ielt until tomorrow.
The town had plaza, of course; no Mexican
TOWN IS complete YIiho3t IL HIRE were the
1rzGaGo or curt house, the jail, the church. the
scGOo.- uouse and some of the prluclpai stores.
Grand old orange and citron trees, unusually tall
broad caVcd plantains, p0megranafes, etc. formed
dense green background, while IN the centre OF
tie plaza fine fountain, sprnging from a
basin cut out of the dark volcanic stone or hGchyc
which ahonuds III he vicinity. Some fine old orange
and lemon trees shafed he fountain aHd beneath
them Were few sohd, well,worn seats, winch
ftlmed a favOrte lounge and which were rarely
entirely unOccup!ed.
lie chef patiiarchs of the village were Don Juan
dc Dlos SeuulVeda, JHc= Constitutional, or justice of
tle Peace the SchoOlmastcr, Don Geronimo Sat'llo.
aud the priest, Padre Gutierrez. Ines, three were
inSeparab!e and practically ruled the village Don
Juan only Ja's COnshtgtonab or as we
should say. Justice of the Peace; but these
courts in Mexico exercise much wider
jurisdiction tnan ours, especially IN remote
localities for reasons which II Will be necessary 10
explain.
In Mexico there is what is termed "a Court of
which litigauts. or wOuld-be liiigants must enter
before proceeding 10 a superior or ultimate TIL
brna. he object OF this court Is to do away with
Iiig i,on far possible, or as IT'S name implies,
e. cnnciIae the parties. Ia the country places the
,Jsc: institutional pTcSides over the court, winch
is on uSet to be- 50 effective that at least 80 per
cen: of an cases were conciIated hen and there TO
the murtldcatInn of the lawyer, no doubt but TO
the great advantage OF the community IL Is supe-
ror 10 cOTrt OF arbitration III many respects,
thonch il has the same purpose in view. There IS
all the dignity of the court. greatly feared and re-
spected in Mexico all he accessories Iecreiaries;
alJao;H etc, Is in any other CONT. hen. too II
tc I;sgsHtS decidc TO abloe Nv. coaclha-
n"a aSl 4fs a Of an 'a end '"SF' the
matter.
OF late ycar., unfortunately. these courts have
dropped very much INTO disuse lie lawyers OPP
posed taem bitterly, as was natural and II II Gus
tOnary now, whenever suit rs conducted Dy
legal adviser, 10 "waIve conclhatIon,' the law
having bcen modified as TO permit them to do So
But formerly this was not permitted; no case
could go INTO the constitutional or district courts
until the plainun and defendant had actually APP
reared be ore a court of cOnclliaton, and definite
" IeaOnnced the privileges which these courts
afforded them, of adus' ing their disputes without
resort to litigation. Iut even TO TINS daY, In some
OF the districts the Oil courts OF concllia
ton are much reycrenccd and are in fill force aud
IL was an unfortunate day for the Mexicans-for
all but :he legal fratemIty-when the authorities
permitted parties tlcant to Sign away their nights
eUuia bic and righteous tribunal
Many an ipfuriated plaintiff usei to appear.
vowing that his or her case should ter
inmate only In the highest tribunal in the land,
who under the gentle vet firm mani pulatiOn OF Don
Juan de Dios, found his complaints assuming quite
another character; or who, for the hrst time, was
made to see that the defendant WAS not altogether
wrong or perhaps even had right on his side. Our
case appears so very strong so long as our own
Judgment is the only tribunal but when dignt-
fed and impartial Judge SITS the case to the bot
tom when our adversary is heard with tie same
kind impartialty and attention; when dIsnter-
estcd witnesses appear. who do not look upon
things from our point of view. perhaps self-conf-
dence is apt TO give place to doubt-and when dis
trust of self appears il is not difficult for one In
authority. whom ell respect to reconcile us, espe-
cialy If oar adversary IS also shown the weak
points OF his contention and induced to yield On his
part. Thus the court of Cancellation. though nOmi-
nall an inferior tribunal, in reality performed
most important function; and 1t was while
presiding at this court that Don Juan
de Dios, all unconscionsly to himself.